Bundler with Solyndra warning to speak at DNC

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A venture capitalist and Obama bundler who raised red flags about the administration’s support for Solyndra will speak at the Democratic convention Wednesday evening, providing a new slab of red meat for Republicans intent on attacking the president's energy policies.

Steve Westly, a former California state controller who is now the managing partner at renewable energy venture capital firm the Westly Group, is slated to take the podium between 5 and 6 p.m. He's part of a packed roster of people scheduled to speak before former President Bill Clinton gives one of the convention's most anticipated addresses.

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Republicans have taken aim at Westly in recent months, alleging that his ties to the administration helped secure millions in loans, grants and other Energy Department aid for companies backed by the Westly Group.

Westly first appeared on Republicans’ radar after emails emerged showing that he had written to senior White House adviser Valerie Jarrett in May 2010 to raise concerns about Obama’s planned trip to Solyndra’s headquarters in Fremont, Calif. Westly warned that “many of us believe the company’s cost structure will make it difficult for them to survive long term,” and he advised the president to “be careful about unrealistic/optimistic forecasts that could haunt him in the next 18 months if Solyndra hits the wall, files for bankruptcy, etc.”

Obama made the visit anyway. Solyndra filed for bankruptcy in September 2011, setting off a firestorm on Capitol Hill over its $535 million Energy Department loan guarantee.

Westly isn’t the only official connected to the Solyndra debacle who's in Charlotte this week. ABC News reported Tuesday that Steven Spinner, an Obama fundraiser and former Energy Department adviser who had pushed to speed up approval of the Solyndra loan guarantee, is at the convention. ABC caught Spinner taking a tour of the convention floor with other VIP Obama fundraisers.

The RNC seized on the ABC report and sent it to other news outlets.

The months of GOP criticism have apparently not deterred Obama and his fellow Democrats from associating with Westly and Spinner. Westly, for example, was a guest at a July Obama fundraising appearance in California where a POLITICO reporter spotted him juggling lemons poolside and entertaining children.

Westly is in Charlotte along with other venture capitalists and company executives who are part of the group Technology for Obama — or T4O — which helps to raise money for the Obama campaign.

This article first appeared on POLITICO Pro at 6:14 a.m. on September 5, 2012.

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Westly first appeared on Republicans’ radar after emails emerged showing that he had written to senior White House adviser Valerie Jarrett in May 2010 to raise concerns about Obama’s planned trip to Solyndra’s headquarters in Fremont, Calif. Westly warned that “many of us believe the company’s cost structure will make it difficult for them to survive long term,” and he advised the president to “be careful about unrealistic/optimistic forecasts that could haunt him in the next 18 months if Solyndra hits the wall, files for bankruptcy, etc.”

Westly isn’t the only official connected to the Solyndra debacle who's in Charlotte this week. ABC News reported Tuesday that Steven Spinner, an Obama fundraiser and former Energy Department adviser who had pushed to speed up approval of the Solyndra loan guarantee, is at the convention. ABC caught Spinner taking a tour of the convention floor with other VIP Obama fundraisers.

Hmmm, Politico left out the best part.

ABC caught spinner taking the tour all right but once he saw the camera crew he took off running to get away........

"Steven J. Spinner joined other top fundraisers for a VIP tour of the Democratic National Convention floor in Charlotte Monday evening, posing and waving for a photographer while standing behind the podium. When he saw ABC News cameras, however, he ran for the exit."